Up in the Nordic North of the Midwest, the Vikings thrash the Bears to go on to 10-1. Celebrations from the Vikings fans are hushed by anticipation of Monday Night Football's New Orleans Saints vs. New England Patriots--both the Saints' toughest regular season match-up, and a game which makes headway in painting the playoff picture.
Well, all across the internet, message boards are flooded by football fans ferociously submitting their playoff manifestations, undoubtedly to appease the backing of their favorites. I figure I should only be allowed the same opportunity.
The rest of the season looks to be downhill for most teams in the playoff picture. For this reason, let's pretend Monday night's game concluded the regular season.
In the AFC, the Colts have come out of every match-up victorious, but dizzied, it seems, as fatigue seems to carry on into the early quarters of the next week's game. The trend has been that Peyton Manning figures out the defense late in the 2nd quarter and can conduct a winning half henceforth. Their only weakness is if they fall too far behind--a margin that they inched their way past against the Pats. There is no reason to believe the Colts will not host the entire playoff schedule.
Next in line are the Bengals. The Bengals are a series circuit kind of team--when all the weapons are in, they click and shine bright. But as we've seen recently, when weapons like Cedric Benson sit, they are vulnerable. If the Bengals can maintain health through the playoffs, look for them to put up a fight for the conference championship.
The Chargers have been the team who turned the corner, winning six straight games after starting 2-3, a feat that could mostly be credited to their rebuilt offensive line. Philip Rivers is playing just as well as any other QB. No reason to believe they aren't a force to reckon with in the AFC.
The Jags, Pats, and Broncos make up the remaining playoff constituents, all of which I feel have been the "not-as-bad-as" crowd.
In the NFC, the show is all about the Saints. Their Monday night match-up was the milestone this season, indicating just how good they are. If Brees can put up a perfect 158.3 passer rating against the Patriots, there's no more doubting to be had. On top of that, the Saints defense embarrassed the almighty Tom Brady, throwing two interceptions and no touchdowns. Some doubted this team, which struggled somewhat in game with the Dolphins, Bucs, and Falcons, also saying that they have the easiest schedule. But what this team showed is that when the big game is on the line, they come to play, and they play harder, better, faster, and stronger than any other team in the league. And you can't argue that home field advantage in the Super Dome.
Right behind the perfect Saints are the near perfect Vikings. The Vikings boast one of the other highest-powered offenses in the league. One thing the Vikings have shown week in and week out is consistency. It shows in the stats, as well as the record book, that the Vikings have been on the same tempo all season long. The only minor concern is that a couple times that tempo was nearly not enough. A last seconds hail mary against the 49ers and a last second missed field goal by the Ravens are what sold this team their NFC North Division champ seat.
The Cowboys, Cardinals, Packers, and Eagles make up the rest of the NFC constituents and are again coined the "not-as-bad-as" teams.
Which brings me to my conclusion, the playoff picture (after wild cards rounds are weeded out):
Colts top the Patriots
Bengals top Chargers
Bengals top Colts
Saints top Packers
Vikings top Cowboys
Saints top Vikings
Saints top Bengals to win the superbowl...
I said it. The Saints are just too good and show they only get better in the big games.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Hunting season a letdown
Just got home from a hunting trip in Woodruff, WI. This year was not the year of choice for the hunting community in the Midwest. Let me put it this way:
Upon buying a hunting license for the state of Wisconsin (unit 36), I was displeased to hear that regulations restricted shooting any doe, and that hunters were only issued buck permits. I'm all for managing the herd for the sake of hunting seasons to come, but what got me bitter was the fact that last year's hunting licenses allowed hunters to buy multiple doe tags. What this means is that the Department of Natural Resources, a department under the Wisconsin State Legislature, was taking the opportunity to make some extra bucks (pun intended) by selling permits out of proportion with what the herd would allow. This particularly irked me as it was the first year that a doe is actually all I saw in the woods, besides a bear.
On top of that, this may be one of the warmest hunting seasons that hunters have seen, ever. Certainly in my lifetime. Saturday morning (the official gun-deer hunting season opener) at 4:30 a.m., the weather was 32° F. I don't have the official temperatures for that day, but you can assume it warmed up under partly cloudy conditions. Sunday morning, same time, 42° F. Monday morning, same time, 44° F. In my lifetime, I've never experienced temperatures over 20° even in the middle of the day.
You might be asking yourselves, "Isn't that a good thing? Isn't it more comfortable to hunt in not-as-cold weather?"
Hunters count on the cold and preferable snowy weather conditions to push the dear around and get them moving. In warm weather they can lay all day in one spot.
On top of the not-as-cold weather, reports on Sunday's and Monday's weather conditions called for rain, and the rain did come. Two bad things about the rain:
1.) If you had your choice of being submerged in 50° F water, or dry in -20° F weather, I would hope that you would value your dryness (trust me, I know). This is why I would rather the temperature have been under the 32° freezing point, so that any precipitation would have been snow and not soaked into our thick mass of orange.
2.) The deer probably hate rain more than we do. This was just more reason for the deer to find a nice thick to bed under for the entire day. What ensues is a cold, miserable day for a hunter who would surely see nothing.
The rest of the state of Wisconsin was on the same page as us. Local newspapers reported they only expected about 300-500 deer registrations this year, down from approx. 700 the year before, and approx. 1,000 the years before that.
Thankfully, some genius invented FM radio so that I could productively listen to the Packers vs. 49ers game on Sunday during my outdoor letdown.
Upon buying a hunting license for the state of Wisconsin (unit 36), I was displeased to hear that regulations restricted shooting any doe, and that hunters were only issued buck permits. I'm all for managing the herd for the sake of hunting seasons to come, but what got me bitter was the fact that last year's hunting licenses allowed hunters to buy multiple doe tags. What this means is that the Department of Natural Resources, a department under the Wisconsin State Legislature, was taking the opportunity to make some extra bucks (pun intended) by selling permits out of proportion with what the herd would allow. This particularly irked me as it was the first year that a doe is actually all I saw in the woods, besides a bear.
On top of that, this may be one of the warmest hunting seasons that hunters have seen, ever. Certainly in my lifetime. Saturday morning (the official gun-deer hunting season opener) at 4:30 a.m., the weather was 32° F. I don't have the official temperatures for that day, but you can assume it warmed up under partly cloudy conditions. Sunday morning, same time, 42° F. Monday morning, same time, 44° F. In my lifetime, I've never experienced temperatures over 20° even in the middle of the day.
You might be asking yourselves, "Isn't that a good thing? Isn't it more comfortable to hunt in not-as-cold weather?"
Hunters count on the cold and preferable snowy weather conditions to push the dear around and get them moving. In warm weather they can lay all day in one spot.
On top of the not-as-cold weather, reports on Sunday's and Monday's weather conditions called for rain, and the rain did come. Two bad things about the rain:
1.) If you had your choice of being submerged in 50° F water, or dry in -20° F weather, I would hope that you would value your dryness (trust me, I know). This is why I would rather the temperature have been under the 32° freezing point, so that any precipitation would have been snow and not soaked into our thick mass of orange.
2.) The deer probably hate rain more than we do. This was just more reason for the deer to find a nice thick to bed under for the entire day. What ensues is a cold, miserable day for a hunter who would surely see nothing.
The rest of the state of Wisconsin was on the same page as us. Local newspapers reported they only expected about 300-500 deer registrations this year, down from approx. 700 the year before, and approx. 1,000 the years before that.
Thankfully, some genius invented FM radio so that I could productively listen to the Packers vs. 49ers game on Sunday during my outdoor letdown.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Great Debate In The AFC
If you didn't see it, you probably heard about the questionable coaching call of New England head coach Bill Belichick which was just one stepping stone in the Colts' path to a big 35-34 comeback in a big game.
Many were quick to criticize Belichick. However, it is only fair to go back and reconsider the circumstances: Peyton Manning led a quick strike down the field to score on the previous drive, making it 34-28. It's fourth-down and two to go on your own 28-yard-line. If you punt it, you're putting the ball back in the hands of the three-time MVP quarterback with about two minutes and two timeouts. You can guess they would start roughly at there own 30-yard-line (70 yards to go).
Or...
You can go for it and all but win with a first down.
Considering the offense vs. defense caliber of both teams, I must say I agree with Belichick's call to go for it. In my mind, Tom Brady and the Patriots were favored to pick up two yards right then and there then the defense was to stop Manning in a two-minute drill. The only problem: It didn't happen.
Another decision by the Patriots head coach which made some people groan was his decision to use his two remaining timeouts a few plays before. The decision clearly shows that Belichick wanted to put together a scoring drive. Little did he know, Belichick would have liked to use one of those timeouts to challenge a ball spot after New Englansd running back Kevin Faulk made a bobbling catch while being pushed back by Indianapolis safety Melvin Bullitt. The actual spotting of the ball was a challenge even for the referees (after watching the replay over and over, I think they got it right).
Belichick's gamble ended up a failure, and Peyton Manning and the Colts' offense capitalized on the opportunity after he quickly and effectively moved the ball down the field and found wide receiver Reggie Wayne in the endzone for the go-ahead touchdown.
I'm sure even Belichick was kicking himself at this point, thinking he alone cost the Patriots the game. But the Colts made the 30-yard drive look pretty easy; what's to say the extra field tacked on from the punt wouldn't have been just as easy? In all likelihood, I think the Colts ended the game too hot to overcome, and Belichick made the best possible decision hold the lead.
Many were quick to criticize Belichick. However, it is only fair to go back and reconsider the circumstances: Peyton Manning led a quick strike down the field to score on the previous drive, making it 34-28. It's fourth-down and two to go on your own 28-yard-line. If you punt it, you're putting the ball back in the hands of the three-time MVP quarterback with about two minutes and two timeouts. You can guess they would start roughly at there own 30-yard-line (70 yards to go).
Or...
You can go for it and all but win with a first down.
Considering the offense vs. defense caliber of both teams, I must say I agree with Belichick's call to go for it. In my mind, Tom Brady and the Patriots were favored to pick up two yards right then and there then the defense was to stop Manning in a two-minute drill. The only problem: It didn't happen.
Another decision by the Patriots head coach which made some people groan was his decision to use his two remaining timeouts a few plays before. The decision clearly shows that Belichick wanted to put together a scoring drive. Little did he know, Belichick would have liked to use one of those timeouts to challenge a ball spot after New Englansd running back Kevin Faulk made a bobbling catch while being pushed back by Indianapolis safety Melvin Bullitt. The actual spotting of the ball was a challenge even for the referees (after watching the replay over and over, I think they got it right).
Belichick's gamble ended up a failure, and Peyton Manning and the Colts' offense capitalized on the opportunity after he quickly and effectively moved the ball down the field and found wide receiver Reggie Wayne in the endzone for the go-ahead touchdown.
I'm sure even Belichick was kicking himself at this point, thinking he alone cost the Patriots the game. But the Colts made the 30-yard drive look pretty easy; what's to say the extra field tacked on from the punt wouldn't have been just as easy? In all likelihood, I think the Colts ended the game too hot to overcome, and Belichick made the best possible decision hold the lead.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Still On Brett's Property
Sunday's game featuring Brett Favre and the Vikings' visit to Lambeau Field--Favre's well-known stomping grounds--was a dagger in the heart for what sounded like 73,000 booing Packer fans. It was the first time in Favre's long career playing at Lambeau from the visitor's bench, but as for his performance, nothing changed.
The Vikings lead the Packers 24-3 at the half. To say the Packers' offense was shutdown is an understatement. The third quarter was flipped on its side as the Packers came out with 17 unanswered points, putting them right back in the game, but trailing 24-20. The Vikings were able to hold the baton as they went on to win 38-26.
Favre threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns against the Packers. But should that earn him MVP of the game? The winning factor for the Vikings seems to be the rookie Percy Harvin, who put together 261 all-purpose yards (nearly 50 percent of Vikings' offense and special teams production). Of those 261 yards, 155 of them came in kickoff returns, making Harvin the leading kickoff returner in the league.
Aaron Rodgers continued to be terrorized by Jared Allen and the Vikings' defensive line which keyed in six sacks. However, Rodgers was also able to put up some impressive stats, throwing for 287 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately for Rodgers, as long as Favre stays in his throne atop the NFC North, a seat he's occupied for so long, he will have to remain in the NFL legend's shadow.
This Vikings win virtually spells out Division Champions for the Vikings, only eight weeks into the season. Their 7-1 record puts them ahead of the Packers by 2.5 games, and with a more than desirable schedule up ahead for this playoff bound team, they look to hold that lead.
Note: Utterly painful for me, a die-hard Packers fan, to write this post, but I challenged myself to do what I hope to be doing in the future for ESPN. I tried to be objective as possible.
The Vikings lead the Packers 24-3 at the half. To say the Packers' offense was shutdown is an understatement. The third quarter was flipped on its side as the Packers came out with 17 unanswered points, putting them right back in the game, but trailing 24-20. The Vikings were able to hold the baton as they went on to win 38-26.
Favre threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns against the Packers. But should that earn him MVP of the game? The winning factor for the Vikings seems to be the rookie Percy Harvin, who put together 261 all-purpose yards (nearly 50 percent of Vikings' offense and special teams production). Of those 261 yards, 155 of them came in kickoff returns, making Harvin the leading kickoff returner in the league.
Aaron Rodgers continued to be terrorized by Jared Allen and the Vikings' defensive line which keyed in six sacks. However, Rodgers was also able to put up some impressive stats, throwing for 287 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately for Rodgers, as long as Favre stays in his throne atop the NFC North, a seat he's occupied for so long, he will have to remain in the NFL legend's shadow.
This Vikings win virtually spells out Division Champions for the Vikings, only eight weeks into the season. Their 7-1 record puts them ahead of the Packers by 2.5 games, and with a more than desirable schedule up ahead for this playoff bound team, they look to hold that lead.
Note: Utterly painful for me, a die-hard Packers fan, to write this post, but I challenged myself to do what I hope to be doing in the future for ESPN. I tried to be objective as possible.
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